In November 2019 Dr Ruth Hemus took up a short creative residency in Oslo to celebrate Dada, the early 20th century avant-garde movement associated with irreverence and incongruity.
Ruth Hemus speaking at Henie Onstad Kunsenter with artist Sverre Wyller and curator Ana María Bresciani
'The Great Monster Dada Show' ran at the Henie Onstad Kunstsenter in Høvikodden from 25 October to 26 January and was the first major exhibition in Norway to be devoted to Dada.
Dr Hemus gave a talk, ‘Dada’s Women Rebels’, as part of a weekend-long programme of cabaret events and wrote an essay for the catalogue. She also lent materials relating to the poet Céline Arnauld, about whom she is writing a monograph. The Poetry of Céline Arnauld: From Dada to Ultra-Modern will be published in 2020 by Legenda.
In a second public lecture at Oslo National Academy of the Arts (KHIO) Dr Hemus spoke on ‘Photomontage as a tool for turbulent times’, drawing on the artist Hannah Höch.
Dr Hemus’s residency was generously supported by both arts’ institutions together with the Goethe-Institut in Oslo.
